Quantity bottle loader for automatic beverage bottle washing machines



Feb. 13, 1951 M. CLARK 2,541,809

QUANTITY BOTTLE LOADER FpR AUTOMATIC BEVERAGE BOTTLE WASHING MACHINESFiled Sept. 5, 1947 k 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 425 Mwzmv (zAzzKATTOJEMY Feb; 13, 1951 E. M. CLARK 2,541,309

' QUANTITY BOTTLE LOADER FOR AUTOMATIC BEVERAGE BOTTLE'WASHING MACHINES.

Filed Sept. 5, 1947 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

Z m MAUPJGE (LA/PK Feb. 13, 1951 E. M. CLARK 2,541,809

QUANTITY BOTTLE LOADER FOR AUTOMATIC BEVERAGE BOTTLE WASHING MACHINES '7Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 5, 1947 INVENTOR. E4131? JIAZZIZICE CLARKATTORNEY E. M. CLAIK 01m: LOADER FOR AUT OMATIC BEVERAGE Feb. 13, 1951QUANTITY B BOTTLEYWAS HING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 5. 1947r uvwvrox m1 MWICI 62.4131? Feb. 13, 1951 M CLARK 2,541,809

QUANTITY BOTTLE LABER FOR AUTOMATIC BEVERAGE BOTTLE WASHING MACHINES-Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 5, 1947 IN VEN TOR.

EARL mumm CLARK ATTORNEY Feb. 13, 1951 E M CLARK A 2,541,809

QUANTITY BOTTLE LEADER FOR AUTOMATIC BEVERAGE BOTTLE WASHING MACHINES 7Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Sept. 5, 1947 INVENTOR. 14m MAURICE CLARK ATTORNEYE. M. CLARK ITY BOTTLE LOADER FOR AUTOM Feb. 13, 1951 QUANT ATICBEVERAGE BOTTLE WASHING MACHINES Filed Sept. 5, 1947 7 Sheets-Sheet 7INVENTOR. EARL MUBICE CLARK llifl I llillllrlll u- I Illll'flll PatentedFeb. 13, 1951 QUANTITY BOTTLE LOADER FOR AUTO- MATIC. BEVERAGE BOTTLEWASHING MACHINES Earl Maurice Clark, Kalispell, Mont., assignor oftwenty-five per cent to Lee J Lewis and twentyflve per cent to M. R.Johnson, both of Kalispell,

Mont.

Application September 5, 1947, Serial No. 772,333

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improved machine for loading beveragebottles into beverage bottle washing machines, of the type which employsan endless carrier chain moving in an approximate horizontal plane, andgenerally known to the trade as Miller hydro bottle washers.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an attachment for anautomatic beverage bottle washing machine, which includes a cradle forreceiving a dozen or more beverage bottles to be washed, means forinverting the cradle to deposit the bottles in groups of a dozen or afixed number, and means for moving the cradle with its load of bottlesin synchronism with the movement of the endless bottle washing chain, topermit of the discharge of the bottles into the receiving sockets orcups of the endless bottle washing chain conveyer.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a loading attachmentfor endless bottle washing conveyer chains, by means of which beveragebottles may be automatically unloaded from a commercial receptacle tothe receiving cups or sockets of the endless chain and the operationrepeated indefinitely.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cradle for the bottlesto be loaded onto the endless conveyer chain which can hold two equalgroups of beverage or other bottles to be washed, with means forinverting the cradle to dumping position, means for releasing one of thebottle groups to load the endless chain bottle washing conveyer, andmeans for shifting the cradle with reference to the conveyer chain, andfor automatically releasing the second group of bottles to the conveyerchain, and means for returning the cradle to initial position to receiveanother load of two equal groups of beverage bottles to be washed.

With the above and other objects in view the invention comprises certainnew and useful constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts,clearly described in the following specification, and fully illustratedin the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the bottle unloading machine, showingthe bottle carrying cradle partly inverted, and illustrating a sectionof the endless bottle conveyer chain of the conventional bottle washingmachine, and details of the mechanism for driving the unloadingmechanism.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, showing the vertical slides for the cradlesupport, one of the 2 horizontal tracks, and the means for elevating andlowering this track and the cradle.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, showing the combined vertical slides andhorizontal slides for cradle support, and the means for shifting thecradle support longitudinally in the direction of the length of thebottle conveyer chain.

Fig. 4 is a detail view, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing the leverfor shifting the cradle support laterally of the bottle conveyer chain,also showing certain parts in section.

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view, showing the main cam shafts, thedriving gears for operating the same, and the lateral shifting lever,and its rock shaft.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view, showing the mechanism for inverting thebottle container to discharge its load.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view, showing a fragmentary detail of the meansemployed for releasing the bottles of any group of bottles arranged inthe container.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the container, indicating the position andaction of the bottle releasingmeans.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view, taken on line 9-4 of Fig. 8,looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Fig. 10 is an end elevation of the bottle container, shown partly insection, and illustrating the manual efiort of unloading a commercialbox or container, so that the machine container will be loaded with itsbottles.

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view through the machine container,showing the discharging action of one of the bottle groups into thereceiving sockets of the endless conveyer chain of the bottle washingmachine.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the practical embodiment ofthe invention, 5 designates a pair of spaced vertical frame supportswhich are suitably mounted on the frame of the conventional bottlewashing machine 6, which includes the horizontally traveling endlessconveyer chain 1, which is provided with a series of vertical sockets 8,formed on the chain links which are pivotally connected, as by the pinsThe endless conveyer chain 1 travels continuously in a horizontal planeto carry bottles to be washed through the washing cycle, and it isnecessary to deposit the bottles necks downwardly into the holdingvertical sockets 8, so that water may be forced, together with the usualcleansing charges, into the bottles, and then allowed to side plates2|;and 22. V vided with four such grooved rollers, two of each conveyorchain I can be operated by any mechanismadapted for the driving of suchconveyors andforms a part of .the washing machine 5. The speed ofmovement ofthe chain will be slow to allow for the movements of theoperator of the bottle loader. p

The vertical frame supports are connected to each other by means ofcross bars II and I2, the cross bar 12 being disposed above the crossbar I, and offset from the vertical plane of the cross bar II, by theoffset portions 5a of the vertical frame supports 5. v

Horizontal frame supporting bars I 3 and Marc connected to the verticalframe supports or uprights 5', and are provided with braces l5 and I6 tostiffen-the frame thus built up. The outer end of the bar I3 is disposedat right angles at |3a to itself, and the outer end of thebar,|4 is.disposed at right angles |4a to itself. The bar I3 is also supported atits outer endby the vertical frame bar I6, and the bar I4 is supportedby the vertical frame bar II. A horizontalround'bar track I9 is supporteat one} end on the end |3 a of the bar I3, and at the other end on thearm I9a, carried by the adbar 5. Thesetwo bar tracks I9 and aredisposedina common horizontal plane.

A carriage having, side plates 2| and 22, and

- the roundbar tracks 23 and 24, is slidably supported on the track barsI9 and 20, by means of the grooved rollers 25, 'pivotally supported onthe Each side plate is progroup of four engaging the upper side of itsround bar track and two engaging the lower side of the same track.

On the round bar horizontal tracks 23 and 24 a second carriage,comprising the side plates 26 and 21, andthe end plates or bars 26 and29,

which rigidly connect the side plates 26 and 21 7. positions withinthesockets by set screws 29?).

The sideplates 26'and- 2I carry bracket arms 33 and 34, which are ofL-shaped form, and the lower and outerend'sof these bracket arms supporta thrustplate 35, which is disposed in a vertical plane. The thrustplate serves to operate a long lever for the purposehereinafter'mentionedr i 4 e v Thevertical rodsf3| and 32 providevertical tracks for the free turning rollers 36 and 31 carried by' theU-shaped cradle frame 36, Fig. 2, which includes a main frame section39, and

. -upper horizontally projecting end arms 40 and The rollers '36 are'carried directly by a vertical bar 3611', attached to the main framesection 39, and the rollers 31 are carried by a vertical bar 31a alsoattached to the same main frame section. The cradle frame also carrieslower horizontal arms 42 and'43, disposed in a common horizontal plane,and opposite to each other.

The outer ends of the horizontal arms 40 and 4| are supported on thehanger bars 44 and 45, Fig. 2, which depend from the cross bar orcarriage 46, which is provided with grooved rollers or wheels 41 and 48,pivoted to turn thereon, against the horizontal track 49, which issuspended by its central arm 50 from the hook 5|,

which is carried by turn buckle 52, supported on the steel cable 53,Figs. 1 and 2, which operates over the pulleys 54; 55,56, 51, and 58,and which is connected by its lower end to lever 59, pivoted at 60, andprovided with a short arm 6|. which carries a cam follower roller 62,which engages motion transferring and timing cam 63, mounted on theshaft 64. A weight 65 is ad- Justable on the lever 59. This arrangement,as the cam 63 is rotated vertically, adjusts the cradle frame 33 on thevertical rods 3| and 32 by the lifting and lowering of the track 49.

On the outer ends of the lower horizontal arms 42 and 43 a rocker frame66 is pivotally supported by the pins 61, which extend through shortarms 63 of the rocker frame. This frame is rectangular in shape'so as toreceive a.- handling container or receptacle 69, Fig. 1. One side bar66a of the rocker frame 66 is provided with a lug 66b, Figs. 1 and 6, towhich cable I9 is connected. This cable travels onthe pulley II, and isconnected to lever I2, which is pivoted on a shaft 13 fixed upon themachine base frame 5a in any suitable rnanner, and connected by thechain I4 with a rocker I5 for the purpose to be hereinafter set forth.The cable pulley 1| is mounted on the upper cross bar l2 of the frame. a

The cross bar I2 also carries the pulley 54 of the cable 53, and apulley 55 for the same cable, which is mounted to turn in axiallycentered position with the pulley I c The cam carrying shaft 64 ismounted to turn in bearings I6 on base frame 5a, and is provided with abevel end gear 11, Figs. land 5, which has driving engagement with bevelgear I6, on shaft I9, which is mounted to turn'in bearings 80. The shaftI9 is equipped with an end bevel gear 8|, which has driving engagementwith the gevel gear 82 onshaft 33, which is mounted to turn inbearings64. The shaft- 331s equipped with another end bevel gear 85, which hasdriving engagement with the bevel gear 66,on the vertical shaft 31,which is provided with a sprocket 86, engaged by driving conveyor chain69 of the washing machine conveyor I. Accordingly, driving mechanism isprovided for the machine which in operation is responsive to themovement of the washing machine conveyor.

The shaft 64 carries a cam which engages the follower roller 9| on thelever 92, which is mounted to rock on the shaft 93 carried on themachine base, Figs. 1 and 3. The upper end of this lever 92 is equippedwith an arm-94 which carries a roller 95, which engages the thrust plate35. The function of the lever 92 is to produce a longitudinal movementof the laterally shiftable carriage which includes the side plates 26and 21, on the horizontal bar tracks 23 and 24.. This causes thecontainer 69 to move with the conveyor I while bottles are beingtransferred to the vertical conveyor sockets 3. v

The side plates 2| and 22 are connected to each other by means of atwisted bar 2 Ia, Fig. 5, which is engaged by the upper end of the lever96, the

lower end of which is mounted to rock on the shaft 91, supported in thebearings 96 on the base frame-5a. This shaft 91 carries alever arm 99,which is provided with a cam follower roller I00,

7 which engages the cam III I, on the shaft I9. The

upper end of the lever 96 is provided with a hook bend 961: so that itwill slightly overhang the cross bar 2Ia. A coil spring I92 is connectedat one end to the cross bar 2Ia and at the other end to an arm I92acarried by the frame, so that a pulling effort will be made on the sideplates 2| and 22 to return them to the initial position after theshifting action imposed by the operation of the lever 96. The framehaving the plates 2I and 22 will, through the lever 96, be moved towardthe operator in timed relation to the conveyor.

The shaft 19 carries a cam I99 which engages the cam follower roller I94on the lever I95. Figs. and 6, which rocks on the shaft I96. The lowerend of this lever is pivotally connected with the link I91, which ispivotally connected with the rocker I5, which is mounted on the shaftI96 pivoted on base frame 5a. shown in detail in perspective in Fig. 6.

The handling container 69, shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 11, is positioned inthe cradle frame 66, as indicated in Fig. 10. This handling container isprovided with four parallel rows of bottle guiding passages or socketsH9, which are open at both ends. The individual sockets or passages ofone row is disposed in staggered relation to the passages or sockets ofthe adjacent row, as shown in Fig. 8 for alignment with the respectivestaggered sockets of the conveyor.

The handling container 69 is loaded by inverting a commercial carriercontainer or box, indicated at B in Fig. 10, so that the twenty-fourbottles of this box will be discharged by gravity into the handlingcontainer 69.

Discharge of the bottles which are disposed in the handling container 69is controlled by means of a series of arcuate gripping jaws III and H2.The jaws I I I are carried by a rod or bar I I3, and the jaws H2 arecarried by the rod or bar I I4, as shown in Fig. '7. The rod or bar I I3is pivotally connected with the link H5 and the rod or bar H4 ispivotally connected with the link H6. These two links are pivotallyconnected with the lever arms H1 of the T-shaped lever H8, which ispivoted midway of the ends of the lever arms I I1, and provided with along lever arm I I8a, the outer end of which is equipped with anabutment bar H9. Under each of the four rows of six bottle passages apair of these rods or bars and gripping jaws is arranged. These jaws aremoved toward each other as shown in Fig. 8, and away from each other byrocking the T-shaped lever H8, so that the companion jaws of each pairof jaws will be simultaneously moved toward and away from each other.

The bottles in two adjacent rows of passages, numbering 12 bottles inall, are discharged at one time, and then the bottles in the adjacenttwin rows are discharged at one time. The discharge in each case is madedirectly into the open vertical sockets of the endless washer chain 1,as indicated in Fig. 9.

The timing of the discharge of the first and second dozen group ofbottles, and the shifting of the handling container 69 is controlled bythe movement of the different cams, in synchronism with the movement ofthe endless conveyer washer chain I, through the driving mechanism shownin Fig. 5. The abutment bar I I9 of each T-shaped lever H9 is engaged byan abutment bar I29 mounted on the frame of the machine. and disposed inthe path of the abutment bar I I9. The handling container 69 is engagedby a coil spring I2I, which acts to return the container to its originalposition.

At the start of the cycle of operations, the handling container 69 issupported so that the loading side of the same will be exposed in aninclined plane. The case or box of empty beverage or other bottles isthen placed against the open upper side of the handling container 69 inan inverted manner and the bottles from the case or box are transferredto the container 69. The

passages of this container are spaced apart on centers which willcorrespond to the center spacing of the vertical sockets 9 of theconveyerwashor chain 1.

The next step or operation is to invert the container 69, so that thefirst dozen of empty beverage bottles are discharged to the receivingsockets 8 of the conveyer washer chain. The next step or operation is tocause the container 69 to rise so that it does not interfere with themovement of the conveyer washer chain 1. and all bottles of the firstdozen group will be freed from the handling container 69. The next stepis to shift the container 69 so that the second dozen bottle group willbe, moved into position for loading the conveyer washer chain, afterwhich the container 69 is elevated and returned to its initial position.

All of the various devices for the movement of the receptacle to alignthe same with the conveyor sockets is effected automatically in sequenceand in response to the movement of the conveyor chain and in timedrelation therewith. The cam 63 of the mechanism will raise and lower thecradle frame 38. Cam 63 is So shaped to provide this movement at theproper time and at the proper speed. Cam I93 acting upon lever I95 willcause the cradle frame to be inverted so that the bottom openings of thereceptacle retained by the cradle frame will be in vertical registrationwith the conveyor sockets. Only two rows at a time of these openingsbecome so aligned upon the initial inverting of the cradle and itsreceptacle.

Cam 99 will accordingly cause the shifting movement of the cradle andthe receptacle in the direction of movement of the conveyor and totravel for a short distance with the same. At the end of the stroke, therods H9 for one pair of rows will be operated by the engagement with theabutment I29 so as to effect the discharge of the bottles to theconveyor sockets. Thereafter, the cradle and the receptacle are allowedto return as effected by the cam 99 and the cam I9I will so act upon thelever 96 to adjust the cradle toward the operator so that the second tworows of the bottles of the receptacle can be aligned with the conveyorchain. Thereafter. the cam 99 will again act to cause the movement ofthe cradle and the receptacle in the direction of the conveyor andthereafter the next rod H9 will engage the abutment I29 to release thenext two rows of the bottles from the receptacle. Thereafter the cradleand the receptacle can be raised and the cradle uprighted all throughthe action of the cams to permit the next loading of bottles thereinto.Automatically the mechanism will go through the sam steps again todischarge the 'new set of bottles which have been loaded into thereceptacle. The operation is continuous and is in timed relation to thewasher conveyor chain.

It is understood that the unloading machine may be used in connectionwith any traveling washer chain, and may be adapted for handling anytype of bottles, whether used for beverages. milk or other fluids.

It is also understood that various changes in the details ofconstruction, their combination,

and arrangement, may be made in carrying .out the invention, as definedin the claims hereof.

Having described the invention, I claim as new:

1. In combination, an endless conveyer chain having a series of verticalbottle holding sockets, an unloader for automatically loading thesockets with inverted bottles to be washed, means operated by theconveyer chain for raising and lowering the unloader, means coactingtherewith for releasing bottles from the unloader, means coactingtherewith for inverting the unloader. means disposed in the path of theunloader for actuating said releasing means, and means for shifting theunloader inthe direction of the travel of the endless conveyer chain.

2. In combination, an endless traveling bottle washing conveyer chainhaving a series of links each of which is provided with a verticalbottle holding socket, a receptacle supported over the conveyer chainfor pivotal movement, means for movin the receptacle in the direction ortravel of the conveyer chain, means operated from the conveyer chain forinverting the receptacle, and means coacting with the chain operatedmeans for releasing bottles from the receptacle to the sockets of thconveyer chain.

3. The combination with a, traveling endless bottle washer conveyer, ofa cradle mounted to rock above the conveyer, a receptacle having aseries of bottle holding passages opening on opposite sides of thereceptacle mounted on the cradle, means operated by the conveyer forshifting the cradle and the receptacle in the direction of the movementof the conveyer, releasing means carried by the cradle for releasingbottles from the receptacle, means for raising and lowering the cradleand the receptacle, means for inverting the cradle and the receptacle tocause bottles held thereby to be held in position to be discharged tothe conveyer, and means disposed in the path of the cradle andreceptacle for releasing bottles on the invertion of the cradle and thereceptacle.

4. The combination with a traveling endless conveyer having verticalsockets for holding bottles to be washed, a cradle mounted over theconveyer for pivotal movement, a. receptacle supported on the cradle andprovided with a series of passages each of which openson the top andbottom of the receptacle, means coacting with the conveyer for invertingthe cradle and its receptacle, and means cooperating therewith foradvancing the cradle and its receptacle in the general direction of thetravel of the conveyer.

5. The combination with a traveling endless conveyer having verticalbottle holding sockets,

a cradle supported above the conveyer, a receptacle pivotally supportedon the cradle, means for raising and lowering the cradle and thereceptacle, oppositely moving releasing elements carried by thereceptacle for releasing bottles 6 from one side of the receptacle,means for inverting the cradle and its receptacle, and means foroperating the elements.

6. The combination with a traveling bottle washing conveyer, of a bottleloader associated with the conveyer and provided with a pivotallysupported cradle, means for raising and lowering the cradle, means forshifting the cradle in the direction oi movement of the conveyer, meansfor shifting the cradle lateral to said direction of movement, means forinverting the cradle, a receptacle supported on the cradle, bottlereleasing elements carried by the receptacle, means disposed in the pathof the movement or the receptacle and cradle for operating said releaseelements, and means synchronized with the movement of the conveyer foroperating all of said means in timed relation to the movement or theconveyer, to cause said releasing elements to deposit bottles from thereceptacle into the conveyer.

7. The combination with an endless traveling bottle washing conveyerhaving vertical bottle holding sockets therein, a, receptacle havingtransverse passages spaced to correspond with the spacing oi theconveyer sockets and opening from the opposite sides of the receptacle,means for tilting the receptacle above the conveyer, means for shiftingthe receptacle inthe direction of movement of the conveyer, means forshifting the receptacle in a, movement transverse to that of theconveyer, means for raising and lowering the receptacle, means fordischarging a certain number of bottles loaded in the receptacle to thesockets oi the conveyer, and means for discharging the balance of thebottles loaded on the receptacle to the sockets of the conveyer.

8. The combination with an endless traveling bottle washer conveyerhaving vertical bottle holding sockets, a cradle, a receptacle havingbottle holding passages pivotally supported on the cradle, a track 'onwhich the cradle slides, a, hoist for lowering and raising the track,means for shifting the receptacle in the direction of movement of theconveyer, means for shifting the receptacle in the direction at rightangles to the movement of the conveyer, means for releasing certainbottles loaded on the receptacle and cradle, means for releasing theremaining bottles on the receptacle and cradle, and means operated insynchronism with the travel of the conveyer for operating all of saidmeans to automatically transfer bottles from the receptacle to thesockets oi the conveyer.

EARL MAURICE CLARK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,253,748 Tyson Jan; 15, 19181,651,925 Marsh Dec. 6, 1927 1,700,944 Loew Feb. 5, 1929 2,074,383 FunkMar. 23, 1937 2,400,542 Davis May 21, 1946

